The best way to serious learning or just staying up to date with the latest Microsoft developer technologies

Being a developer, staying up to date with the latest news on development technologies is essential. Finding good learning resources to in-depth information on them can be cumbersome, however. That’s why in this editorial, I’d like to point out two great and free services offered by Microsoft for developers: Channel 9 and Microsoft Virtual Academy.

Channel 9 Channel 9 is a community in which we bring forward the people behind our products and connect them with those who use them. The Channel 9 team visits the various product groups on campus and asks them about the technologies they work on – from the Windows product group to Visual Studio or all things Azure. They are hosted in various shows by topic that get updated episodes in regular intervals. But there is much more to Channel 9! My personal favorite is the great and easy-to-navigate archive of all major Microsoft conferences and events that lets you download session recordings and PowerPoint decks. Coding4Fun explores the lesser known and more geeky areas of programming, including the Kinect sensor, how to read data from the OBD-II port of your car or remote control the Philips HUE (Internet of Things, anyone?). Finally, there are the forums that let the community help shape Channel 9 and start the conversation with the product teams. Have a look at the idea behind Channel 9 and hear from the people who created this site.   Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) Microsoft Virtual Academy offers high-quality courses in various languages, including French and German, for developers, IT Pros and Data Pros. The very recently updated page easily lets you navigate the vast content and search for the exact training you need. The Live Events can be attended while they happen, giving the audience a chance to interact with the trainers. Most events are recorded for the convenience of viewing them later. A bit lesser known but in no way less interesting is the free eBooks section, containing downloadable titles from Microsoft Press on the topics of Windows, Windows Server, Microsoft Azure, App development and Microsoft System Center. For students who want to get in touch with coding for the first time, the Microsoft Virtual Academy has a new section on Technology for Students and Educators.   I highly recommend registering to both Channel 9 and the Microsoft Virtual Academy, as you can set up your personal training plan, see what trainings you have already completed, and pick up where you left off during the last visit.